Coal-miner&#39;s safety check-box.



No. 642,909. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

A. H. LAWFEB.

COAL MINERS SAFETY CHECK BOX.

(Application flied Sept. 2, 1899.)

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(No Model.)

' ATTORNEYS.

Nrrn

ALBERT H. LAWFER, OF DUNCANSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

COAL-MINERS SAFETY CHECK-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,909, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed September 2,1899. Serial No. 729,328. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. LAWFER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Duncansville, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Goal- Miners Safety Check-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in safety check-boxes and is particularly adapted to be employed in connection with the mining of coal and like minerals.

The object of the invention is to construct a check-box that may be conveniently attached to each mining-car and in which the miner or person who is entitled to pay for loading the car may insert his check for the same in order to prevent tampering with these checks during the passage of the car from the mines to the weighmaster.

In the mining of coal it is a common practice to pay the miners by the load, or, in other words, by the cars which they mine and load, the miner attaching to the car when forwarding the same from the mines a check bearing his number or other identification in order that the weighmaster may give the credit for the car to the proper party. These checks have heretofore usually been placed either in a small box attached to the car or suitably secured thereto, and during the passage of the car from the mine to the weighmaster by reason of free access being had to the checks other miners could substitute their check for the original and thus receive credit for the car, and even if the deception were discovered entailing'considerable loss of time and considerable labor incorrecting the records of the weighmaster.

It is the primary object of my invention, therefore to prevent this by attaching to each car a suitable check-receiver which when the car is sent to the mine is open, so that the miner when he has loaded the car may place his check therefor in the receiver or holder and then close the same. When closed, the

receiver or holder is automatically locked, and can only be opened by the weighmaster or other person authorized, who is furnished with a suitable key for this purpose. The weighmaster or other person authorized to receive and give credit for the checks when removing the same permits the holder for the checks to remain open, so as to be in position for the miner when reloading the car.

Briefly described, the invention consists of a suitable box or casing of a convenient size which is attached at any suitable point or convenient place upon the car. This box or casing is open at its bottom and has arranged therein a suitable check-holder, which is held normally open by a spring arranged within the box or casing around a guide or plunger. This check-holder has an arm secured thereto which is adapted when the check-holder is forced upwardly within the box or casing to engage upon a catch and retain the holder within the box or casing. The catch is lo cated within the box or casing opposite to a keyway or hole in the front thereof, so that when the weighmaster or other authorized person inserts the key the catch will be disengaged from the supporting-arm carried by the check-holder and the spring will force the latter downward through the open bot-tom of the box or casing, so that the check may be removed.

Various details of construction enter into the invention, and I will now describe the preferred form of the same by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference will be employed to indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved check-box,showing aportion of a mining-car with the box secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a front view of my improved check-box with the front plate removed. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view taken on the line a; an of Fig. 4.. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View showing the check-holder in the open position. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line z z of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the check-holder removed from the box or casing. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the catch which retains the check-holder within the box or casing. Fig. 9 is .a detail plan view of the form of check ordinarily employed and which 'may be conveniently used in connection with my device.

Referring now to the drawings by referencenumerals, 1 indicates the back of the box or casing; 2, the sides thereof; 3, the top and 4 the front plate, which is preferably made removable and may be suitably secured to the sides By fastening the front plate to the sides by wood-screws or the like access may readily be had to the interior of the easing to repair any of the parts should they become broken or out of order.

The device may be readily secured to the car by forming the sides and the back with lugs or cars 5 5 to receive screws or nails engaging the car, or other suitable fastening means may be employed.

The check holder comprises a suitable block, which is adapted to fit neatly and slide within the box or casing, the lower part of the same having its sides grooved, as at 5, and its front face provided with a cut-away portion or recess 6, which is of a size to conveniently receive the check 7. The grooved sides of the block permit the check 7 to project beyond the same when in position in the holder, and thus be readily caught for removal by the weighmaster.

The check is held in its position in the holder by means of a spring 9, secured to the front face of the block by screws 10 or other suitable means, with its lower end bowed or bent inwardly, as at 11, to engage the check and hold the same within the recess 6. The upper end of this spring 9 extends some distance above the top of the block and forms an arm to support the block when in the closed position. This arm 12 has its upper end formed with an opening 1% and has two angularly-extending lugs 15, said lugs being adapted to engage with the two outside fingers of the supporting-catch, while the aperture or opening 14: receives the remaining fingers of said catch.

The block forming the holder is provided in its upper end with an aperture 16, extend ing downward some distance into the said block and which is adapted to receive a stem 17, which may be either formed integral with the top 3 or suitably secured thereto. Arranged upon this stem, between the upper end of the block forming the check-holder and the under side of the top 3, is a coil-spring 18, which when the catch is released from the arm 12 forces the check-holder downwardly within the casing, so that the lower end of the same will be below the box or casing and access may behad to the check for its removal.

The catch 19,which retains the check-holder within the box or casing, may be formed, as shown, of a fiat piece of metal having three cut'away portions, which form the four fingers 2O 2O 20 20, the ends of said fingers being turned outwardly, as shown, to engage with the projections or lugs 15 and the opening let of the arm 12. The catch maybe supported within the box or casing by fastening a strip, as at 21, to the under side of the top, 3, and I preferably construct the catch of a springy metal, which will allow of the fingers being depressed by the key and their returning to their normal position after the pressure of the key is removed.

For limiting the downward movement of the check-holder I provide the block in its side with a vertical groove 22, extending from the top of one of the grooved sides nearly to the top of the block. This forms a shoulder, as at 23, which engages upon a projection or lug 24 on the inner face of one side of the box or casing and arrests the downward movement of the block when actuated by the spring.

WVhen the particular form of catch shown herein is employed, I preferably use a key 25, having four prongs, one to engage each finger, and thus release the fingers of the catch simultaneously from their engagement. The front of the box or casing is preferably constructed with an extension or boss around the key way or hole 26, as shown at 27, which gives a greater bearing for the key and acts as a guide for the same, so as to insure the true engagement of the key-prongs with the fingers of the catch.

The operation of the device is as follows: The car is sent to the mine with the checkholder in the lowered or open position, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Vhen the miner has loaded the car and the same is ready to be forwarded to the mine-entrance, he places his check within the recess 6, between the face of the block and the back of the bowed portion of spring 11, the grooved portions 5 permitting both the easy insertion and the easy removal of the check. The miner or operator then forces the check-holder upward into the easin g, which causes the top of the arm 12 to engage the projecting ends of the fingers 20 near their free ends and forces these fingersbackward within the easing until the arm has passed up far enough for the projecting ends of the fingers to engage in under the projections 15 and in the aperture 14, at which time the holder is locked within the box or casing. The under side of the projecting ends of the fingers 20 are slightly beveled or rounded, so as to permit the arm 12 in its upward movement passing between the fingers and the front of the box or casin g. When the ear arrives at the mineentrance, the weighmaster or other authorized person inserts the key into engagement with the fingers of the catch and pressing inwardly forces these fingers out of engagement with the arm 12 and allows the spring 18 to force the check-holder downwardly in the box or casing to the position shown in Fig. 5, at which time the check may be readily removed. The weighmaster or other person thus removing the check allows the holder to remain in its lowered position to receive the check of the miner when the car is again reloaded in the mine. The spring 9 securely ICC IIO

holds the check in position against accidental displacement by the action of the spring 18, when the catch is released, and as these checks are usuallyremoved from the car during its slow movement at the entrance of the mine the grooved sides will permit its being engaged from either side.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a check-receiving box, the combination with a casing having an open end and means for securing said casing in position, of a check-holder provided with grooved sides and a recess for receiving a check and adapted to operate in said casing, a stem arranged in said casing and engaging in said checkholder, a spring secured to the said checkholder and adapted at its lower end to retain a check within the said recess, means adapted to engage the upper end of said spring for looking the said check-holder in the said casing, a spring arranged upon the said stem and engaging said cheek-holder for operating the latter through the end of the casing, and means arranged in the said casing for limiting the downward movement of the said check-holder, substantially as described.

2. In a check-receiving box, the combination of a casing having an open bottom and adapted to be secured to the body portion of a car or other object, a check-holder provided with a recess adapted to receive a check and held normally within the said casing, a spring secured to the said check-holder and adapted to have the lower end thereof retain the said check in position when the check-holder is extended through the open bottom of the casing, and means adapted to engage the said spring for normally retaining the said checkholder within the casing, substantially as de scribed.

3. In a check-receiving box, the combination of a casing having an open end, a checkholder adapted to receive a check, means for securing said check in the check-h older when the same is in an extended and a closed position, a catch adapted to engage the said means for locking said check-holder within said casing,and a spring for forcing the holder through the open end of the said casing when the catch is released, substantially as described.

4. In a check-receiving box, the combination with a suitable casing having a springactuated' check-holder arranged therein and means for securing the holder within the easing, of an elongated spring secured to the said check-holder for retaining a check within the check-holder when the same is in an extended and closed position and further adapted to be engaged by the said means for securing the holder within the casing, substantially as described.

5. In a check-receiving box, the combination with a casing provided with an open end and a keyway, of a check holder having grooved sides arranged within the casing and adapted to operate through the open end of the casing, a spring-catch arranged within the casing opposite to the keyway and adapted to be depressed by a key, meansconnected t0 the check-holder and engaging said springcatch for holding the check-holder normally within the casing and for retaining a check within the check-holder when the same is within the casing and extended therefrom, and means arranged within the casing for forcing the check-holder from the casing when the spring-catch is released, substantially as described.

6. In a check-receiving box, the combination with a casing having an open end, means for securing the same in position, a guidestem, and a lug or stop formed integral therewith, of a spring-actuated check-holder provided with a recess opening at the top adapted to engage the said guide-stem, said holder further provided with a recess 6 to receive a check and having its sides grooved,said holder further provided with an elongated groove 22 having a shoulder 23 at the top thereof for engaging the said lug or stop to arrest the movement of the said holder, means secured to the said holder for retaining a check therein when in an extended and closed position, and a catch adapted to engage the said means for retaining the said check-holder Within the casing, substantially as described.

7. In a check-receiving box, the combination with a suitable casing, of a check-holder arranged therein and adapted to be projected therefrom, means secured to the said checkholder for securing a check thereto when in a projected or closed position, a catch adapted to engage the said means for securing said holder within the casing, means for projecting the said holder when the catch is operated, and means for limiting the projected movement of the said holder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

4 ALBERT I-I. LAIVFER.

Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, A. M. HAYMAKER.

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